Nine Surprising Sources of Caffeine

Overworked and sleep-deprived, more people are using caffeine as an
energy crutch than ever before, experts say. That's not all bad: In
fact, 250 milligrams of caffeine per day-that's two to three cups of
joe-wakes up the brain, improves concentration, relieves stress,
and may also help you live longer. But if intake is turning into
addiction, you may notice side effects , including dehydration, trouble
sleeping, anxiety, an upset stomach, and even problems during prenancy.

If you're trying to cut back, you've probably already reduced the
amount of coffee, tea, and sodas that you consume. But the sneaky
stimulant can pop up in unexpected places. Since the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) doesn't require manufacturers to list caffeine
content on nutrition labels, it's often hard to tell whether a product contains the stimulant, and how much.

Photo by: Istockphoto

Non-cola sodas
Colas and other sodas like Mountain Dew are well-known caffeinated culprits, but others play less obvious roles in your daily caffeine intake. Some brands of root beer, such as Barq's, contain caffeine. Both the regular and diet flavors have 23 milligrams per 12-ounce can, just 12 milligrams less than a can of Coke. Sunkist's orange soda has a surprising 41 milligrams of caffeine, and A&W Cream Soda has about... more

Photo by: Istockphoto

Non-cola sodas
Colas and other sodas like Mountain Dew are well-known caffeinated culprits, but others play less obvious roles in your daily caffeine intake. Some brands of root beer, such as Barq's, contain caffeine. Both the regular and diet flavors have 23 milligrams per 12-ounce can, just 12 milligrams less than a can of Coke. Sunkist's orange soda has a surprising 41 milligrams of caffeine, and A&W Cream Soda has about 25 milligrams.